If you want to break into TV writing, having an outstanding original 1hr TV pilot in your
portfolio is an absolute must have. It not only showcases your creativity; it’s how you prove you’ve mastered all of the unique challenges that come with writing for the small screen.
With so many additional considerations to think about when writing a 1hr pilot (as opposed to a feature), we’ve come up with a list of 10 essential tips to ensure that your calling card
to the world gets you noticed – and for all the right reasons!
1. Deliver the Promise of the Premise - Fast: Consider cutting back on the setup needed
to get your story going. All too often, a new writer uses the entire pilot to establish
the premise, essentially making episode one feel like a really long run up to the
inciting incident. If a show is about vampire-slaying grandmothers, the audience
should be able to gather that within the first 12-15 mins, not have it revealed in the
last five minutes of the episode.
2. Hook: Cold opens or teasers are effective ways to jump straight into the most
compelling part of a story, hooking the viewers straight away. They’re not essential,
so don’t throw them in just because. Creating a riveting mystery, introducing
captivating characters, or building tension, suspense, and atmosphere are all equally
great ways to hook too. The key aspect is to grab, continue to hook, and leave us
wanting more… and more... and more!
3. Master Structure: Yes, the three-act structure can still very much apply to tv writing,
but using 5-act (and now 6-act) structures are expected. Why? Again, it’s all about
hooks. There’s a greater need to stop the viewer from channel surfing during the
numerous ad breaks, so ending acts on cliffhangers, big questions we’ll want
answered, or lots of ‘what happens next’ questions is essential, and using shorter
acts helps to achieve this. Deciding whether your show is episodic, a serial, a limited
series etc., should help you research which structure fits best.
4. Craft Unique/Relatable Characters: Even if you’ve got a brilliant high-concept idea,
don’t scrimp on the character design. An audience spends much more time with TV
characters than they do in a movie, so there’s got to be something well-worth
returning for time and time again. Diversity is your friend here. Create a varied cast
that not only creates natural conflict within the group, but means there’s someone
there for everyone to root for (and hate!).
5. Understand Arcs: Unlike in a feature, characters aren’t expected to have conclusive
arcs during the pilot episode. Instead, they’ll be expected to have one (or more) over
the duration of the season and beyond. You can certainly expand on potential arcs in
a treatment or TV bible, but in terms of the pilot script, stick to sowing seeds, foreshadowing, and fully establishing any character flaws, prejudices, problems etc.
that will be overcome as the series unfolds.
6. Include Subplots: There’s more scope to explore themes, create further drama, and
spend time with engaging secondary characters in TV, and the best way to do this is
via subplots. There’s no set amount, but including an A-Story, B-Story, and C-Story is
the traditional method that doesn’t over complicate things. Subplots are a great way
to manipulate the pace by providing cliffhangers, breathing moments, or add new
layers to the conflict, which enhances the structure of a show too.
7. World-Build: The great thing about TV is that there’s much more time to develop and
explore the story world that you’ve created. Make the setting of your show as much
of a character as the cast is. Not by going overboard with laborious detailed scene
description, but by allowing the environment to influence the characters and plot.
Throw the budget away and let your imagination run wild. A spec pilot script is your
opportunity to write no holds barred.
8. Less is More: Sure, in TV there’s room to expand the story world, develop multiple
character arcs, and there’s more screen time to fill than in a feature, but don’t cram
everything your concept has to offer into the pilot episode! We don’t need to meet
every single character, see every location, begin every subplot, or include every twist
etc. Stick to only giving the essentials. That way, you’re not overwhelming the
audience (or reader) with too much info and there’s also enough story left to sustain
an entire season.
9. Have an original concept: Avoid jumping on the band wagon or trying to follow
trends when it comes to concept. Due to long production and development times, if
somethings already on our screens, that trends already passed. Script readers don’t
want to sift through countless variations of an already existing show. They want
something new, never seen before, and authentic. A great idea that has ‘wow’ factor
can render average writing forgivable. It’s all about sparking interest and intrigue in
the reader.
10. Write with the audience in mind: This doesn’t just apply to the people potentially
watching your show; think about who is going to be reading the script too. Does your
script fit the remit for the contest, fellowship, or studio that you’re sending it to? Is it
the right genre, page-length, layout? Does it contain the expected tropes as well as
ones that will surprise, shock, or excite? The more you know about whose hands
your script will reach, the more prepared you’ll be to meet (and excel) their
expectations.
To sum up, a winning 1hr TV pilot needs to try that little bit harder to ‘give us the same, but different’ in order to stand out. Grabbing the reader with an original idea is just the first
part. Think of your spec script like a job application, because that’s what it is. It’s where you demonstrate that you have all the additional tools required. Nailing structure, creating captivating characters, taking the viewer on a controlled emotional rollercoaster that keeps them hooked, etc. Follow the 10 tips above to ensure that your script does all that and more!
By Lee Hamilton - www.instagram.com/thescriptreader
The FINAL Deadline for our TV Pilot Screenplay Competition is November 30th! Submit your TV Pilot here - https://writers.coverfly.com/competitions/view/outstanding-screenplays-tv-pilot
Looking forward to reading your work.
Best of luck
